When revenge is all you can offer
by Winterfell's Vengeful Get
Summary: "Please promise me you won't go after my father and stepmother," had been Annabeth's plea, looking up at Clarisse desperately. Two-shot; Clarisse isn't sure she can keep that promise. She isn't a healer, she isn't a medic. So when revenge is all she can offer Annabeth, what is she to do? Takes place before "Battle of the Labyrinth."
1. Avenger

Disclaimer: Own nothing

Summary: Clarisse La Rue has a message to give to Frederick Chase for his neglect of Annabeth. ClarissexAnnabeth inside

**Avenger:**

"_Please promise me you won't go after my father and stepmother,"_ had been Annabeth's plea, looking up at Clarisse with hopefulness. Clarisse hadn't needed to ask what that gaze was about. Annabeth was only trying to be optimistic that her lover wouldn't try to kill Frederick Chase, Annabeth Chase's father.

As Annabeth slept, recovering from her encounter with a minotaur that she, Clarisse, Percy, Grover, Hazel, Piper, Jason, Leo and Tyson ran into while coming back from a quest, Clarisse had chosen at that time to sneak out of camp and make a little visit with Annabeth's biological father.

She knew Annabeth would be alright. Chiron had gotten all the specific medicines needed, and she was under the watch of Percy, Piper, the rest of their friends and the rest of the camp. She was being looked after. No need for her to worry about Annabeth. Clarisse grimaced as she thought about Annabeth's wound. Her fists clenched so hard that her fingernails dug into her palms. Yeah, Annabeth was going to be okay. Sure...

That was all more the point for why Clarisse was doing this. Clarisse was a daughter of Ares. Her main purpose in life was what she had inherited from her father. She was meant to destroy. So Clarisse realized to that end, that she was doing exactly what she could do for Annabeth. She knew nothing about healing or medicines, so she'd be of no use to her girlfriend there, but what she _could_ do was avenge Annabeth's pain by going after the blonde's neglectful father.

It had been nearly impossible saving the money to get the tickets for the plane to transport her from Long Island to San Francisco, but she had managed. When she had learned how Frederick Chase and his wife had done to Annabeth, the daughter of war decided that a long but necessary trip to where the two lived was worthwhile. After hearing from Annabeth where her father lived, Clarisse had developed a plan to make Frederick Chase feel pain-pain for all the years he had the chance to be a good father to his daughter, but instead abandoned and ignored her-had paid no heed to the blonde's cries and calls for help.

If avenging was all Clarisse was able to do for Annabeth right now, then so be it, she would act out on her desire to do so as furiously as she could. Frederick and his wife had had this coming for a while now, it was time karma came to bite them on the ass.

Once the plane landed, Clarisse had gathered herself, dashed out of the airport, and taken a taxi to where she knew Frederick Chase lived.

She walked nonchalantly up to the road, surrounded by small colorful houses. Ah, the suburbs. Clarisse felt like she was going to be sick. Reminded her way too much of where her mother lived. Thankfully she was only going to storm in there for one purpose; to give one of the structure's occupants two very black eyes.

She pulled out the small, crumpled piece of paper, seeing the number of the house on it that she had written down and walked briskly to the house.

It was something Clarisse knew was wrong. So completely wrong. But Annabeth's story still haunted her. Knowing that Annabeth had suffered and was left to the bites of those spiders attacking her and Annabeth's father did nothing to help. It made Clarisse's blood boil. One thing she knew for sure was that she would always be there for Annabeth; to commit whatever action she needed to for the blonde, and if she had to skin Frederick Chase alive to give Annabeth some solace, even if the blonde berated her endlessly for it, then Clarisse would be all too willing to make the man feel an ounce of his estranged daughter's pain.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Clarisse got to the dark brown wooden door with the number and letter "107" embroidered on the wooden slab, right above the peephole. Clarisse stared, eyes broiling with rage-her scorching gaze almost incinerating the offensive door. She stomped up the granite steps to the door and slammed her fist in a brutal exaggeration of a knock, several cracks splitting some of the wood within seconds.

Five seconds passed and Clarisse could feel her irritation start to rise again, when she then heard a pair of tentative steps come closer from behind the door.

There was a nervous voice, "H-hello? Who is it?"

Clarisse had to use every piece of restraint that she normally possessed to not snarl, "I'm here to kick your ass!" But instead, took a great effort to at least sound calm as she spoke, "I'm a friend of Annabeth's. She just wanted me to come over and tell you how she was. May I come in?"

There was no sound or action but after what must have been a minute and after Clarisse's stomach clenched, assuming that she had been too aggressive and had failed, but resigned herself to the fact that she might just have to break the door down…the brass knob of the door turned and slowly, the door became ajar; a slender, middle aged man appearing in front of her.

"Yes?" The man asked, brown eyes curious, looking concerned, "Is Annabeth doing okay?"

Clarisse glared. The man was brown haired and brown eyed; not at all like she had been expecting, however, she knew that Annabeth got her looks from Athena, not her father. But that wasn't what made the daughter of the god of war seethe.

It was Frederick Chase's question. How _dare_ he ask if Annabeth was okay?!

Before either of them knew what was happening, Clarisse was moving and slammed her hand to his throat, lifting him up and thrusting him against the left white painted wall of the house.

"What-" Frederick coughed out as Clarisse was slowly strangling him, her eyes murderous. She tightened her powerful hold on him, forcing him to gasp for air now. "You have the right to ask if anything's wrong with Annabeth?" Clarisse sneered, "You actually think you have that right?!"

Clarisse moved her arm and brought Frederick dangerously close to her face as she hissed, "You told her she was just trying to get attention by saying she was being attacked by monsters. You stood by and did nothing while your daughter was suffering. She needed help because she was being preyed on by spiders and monsters and yet you did nothing. You ignored her cries and only cared about your new wife." She squeezed his neck so hard that his eyes started bulging out of their sockets.

"I should snap you like a twig for what you did to her!" Clarisse growled, the mental images of a terrified little Annabeth trembling in a corner of her room, hiding from her eight legged assailants dominating her incandescent mind.

A woman's voice suddenly called out, "Frederick?! What are you doing to him?!" Clarisse turned to see a woman, who she assumed was Annabeth's stepmother running over, looking terrified.

Clarisse smirked. "Well look at that," She said, grinning, "It's the whole household of stupidity. You two deserve each other."

The frightened woman grabbed Clarisse's wrist of the hand that was holding Mr. Chase up by his neck. Clarisse gave a malignant smile at her. Grabbing her was not such a good idea. She pivoted and threw Frederick to the floor, sending him sliding into the farthest wall and then set her viperous stare on Mrs. Chase who was now trembling.

"What's the matter, lady?" Clarisse mocked through the cage of her clenched teeth, and ripped her hand away from the woman's now very delicate grasp that had wavered easily and gestured at the woman in a threatening way, "You are responsible for no one being there for Annabeth, and for making her feel like no one cared about her. She had to run away to save herself." She stepped closer, appearing as if she was about to be set on fire in her irate state, and her right tightened fist shot out, connecting with the wall right next to the older woman's head.

There was a loud "thud" from the impact and Mrs. Chase jumped, tears starting to well in her eyes. "Please," She whimpered, "We didn't know that the monsters were real. We thought she was making it all up. We just thought that it was a child's imagination. Please…we love her…."

The crazed wrath ignited within Clarisse again when she heard that. How dare these two pretend to care about Annabeth?

"You never loved her." She spit out, putting her baleful face close to the quaking woman's, "You never held her or comforted her like I have. You never listened to her like I did, and you were never there for her. Go to Tartarus where you belong, whore." She grabbed the woman by her frail shoulders and threw her to the ground, eliciting a scream of pain from her. As Clarisse sent the woman careening to the floor she glared over at Mr. Chase, who was getting up and grabbing at the left side of his back, his face a mask of complete agony. Hmm, it looked like she had really injured him when she had flung him across the room.

Clarisse grinned fiendishly. So she had seriously hurt the bastard? Good. It was far less than he actually deserved to have happen to him.

Clarisse now stood erect and intimidating. "Neither of you will ever see Annabeth again," She snarled, "Now go back to your petty, pathetic _normal_ lives that you both wanted so much. It's artificial and all you deserve."

A small voice called out behind the two now bruised adults, "Mommy? Daddy?" Clarisse's teeth stopped grinding together in her rage when she heard the voice. She looked curiously in the direction of the voice, hearing soft footsteps and saw a small boy emerge from behind the opposite wall. He looked very young and was small with dark hair and dark eyes; a great deal of baby fat still surrounded his young face. He probably was only four or five years old. He was wearing green pajamas with a dinosaur on it.

With the sight of this child, Clarisse's rage ebbed. She wasn't going to hurt a little kid. This boy wasn't responsible for Annabeth being neglected. There was another sound of footsteps approaching and another small boy, appearing identical to the other boy came out from the hallway, startling the daughter of the god of war. He was wearing blue pajamas; the shirt had the Superman emblem on it. Clarisse stared at both boys with just as much curiosity as they gave her.

"Bobby! Matthew!" Mrs. Chase cried, "Get away, quickly." The boys now looked uncertain and nervous. Clarisse shook her head as she turned, "Don't worry. I won't hurt them. Unlike the two of you, I don't hurt small kids. You two have your little family. You don't need Annabeth, so you can stay in your plastic little happy self-absorbed life."

As she was about to walk away, one of the boys spoke.

"Annabeth?" The boy asked, making Clarisse freeze. She turned and looked a the boy that had spoken, "Annabeth? Big sister Annabeth? Where is she? Can we see her?" The boy with the dinosaur on his shirt was asking in such a vulnerable tone that Clarisse couldn't even feel her anger anymore. The demigod looked at the older Chases.

"You told them about Annabeth?" She asked, not even trying to mask her shock at the idea. She'd have thought after Annabeth had run away that both Frederick and his wife would have been happy that she was gone and wanted nothing more to do with her.

Frederick, helping his wife up and still wincing in pain managed, "There's nothing either of us can do to make up for what we did to Annabeth. But if she's willing to give us another chance, she has family here."

Clarisse stepped back, not prepared for this. She had been waiting for any kind of excuse. She had been hoping to cut the people that had hurt Annabeth so badly completely out of the blonde demigod's life. She was not ready to hear this-not in the enraged state she had previously been in. Too flustered to deal with this, she turned and bolted out the door, almost running down the street.

As she was about to turn the corner of the street, she heard a voice say, amused, "That was a long way to go, all just to brutalize the two people that mistreated your love. But then, I commend you for it."

Clarisse halted her steps. She knew that voice. Turning slowly, her eyes were met with the sight of the salacious goddess of love standing a few feet behind her on one of the house's lawns. Clarisse's eyes nearly enlarged to match the size of her fists.

"Aphrodite?" She asked, stunned.

The blonde haired goddess smiled serenely. "You were expecting Demeter or Hera, perhaps?" She chuckled, moving towards Clarisse in her pallid Greek robes, flipping her white blonde hair back from her shoulders, "I suspect that you feel some sort of content, knowing that you hurt those that did nothing to help Annabeth."

Clarisse was about to say something-though in her surprise, there wasn't much thought that she could process at the moment except for ask questions-however, before she could open her mouth, Aphrodite started talking again.

"Do you think Annabeth will be pleased to know that you did this?" The beautiful goddess asked, cocking her head as she observed the daughter of the god of war.

Clarisse recovered from this little bombshell long enough to give a snide retort, "And what? You don't like it? You can't honestly tell me that the goddess of love really disapproves of someone avenging their lover." She narrowed her eyes and added, "And are you going to tell me that Athena isn't glad that her daughter's "father" just got what was coming to him?"

Aphrodite sighed, eyes serene as she carried on, "A child of Ares….typical. You are very much like him, you know? Not that I'm complaining. No, Clarisse, Both I and Athena are happy that you've avenged Annabeth's past, but I know that Athena's daughter will not be happy with what you've done. Especially since she asked you herself not to harm either of the elder Chases."

Clarisse brushed off the sting of vexation at knowing about her and Annabeth's lack of privacy and forced a neutral tone.

"And what has that done?" Clarisse asked, shrugging, "At least when I get back to camp and tell Annabeth, she might be angry, but if nothing else, she'll know that there's someone that will be the first to rip someone a new asshole if they ever fuck around with her."

Aphrodite nearly laughed, "How quaint of you. From defending your love's honor to….as you so politely put it, 'ripping someone a new asshole' for disrespecting her. I have to say, you two do amuse me."

She smirked, supplying some more, "And I have to say, Annabeth is quite lucky for having a lover who has….her father's skills."

Clarisse's face went aflame, and her whole body was flushed. Soon she glowered and snapped, trying to hide her humiliation, "I don't need to hear about your and dad's sexual life. And I don't want you of all goddesses observing what I'm doing, just leave it."

Aphrodite locked eyes with the child of the god of war and said in a calm, even tone, "Interesting that you have no fear of disrespecting a goddess, and yet, I can tell you're afraid of Annabeth finding out what you've done. You must love her very much if you're willing to do this for her, despite being worried about her reaction."

Aphrodite stepped forward again, smiling, "Yes, I believe that you love Annabeth unfathomably."

Clarisse glared. Of course she loved Annabeth.

Aphrodite's smile widened at Clarisse's indignant look and added, "If you want complete honesty, Ms. La Rue, Athena's glad that her daughter has a mate that will kill anyone who mistreats her in any kind of way." She nodded and said, "Honestly, I'm glad Annabth has you for a partner too. I think the two of you are beautiful together."

Clarisse stopped short of whatever it was she was going to say. Well, there was something she'd never thought she'd hear from any of the Olympian deities. Being both somewhat insulted _and_ praised at the same time.

She just ended up rolling her eyes. "Yep," She grumbled, "You're weird alright."

This earned her a light laugh from her father's lover. Aphrodite's face then became serious as she spoke, "But Clarisse, what about those two small boys? Both Athena and I am aware of what Frederick Chase and his wife did, but Matthew and Bobby Chase didn't do anything. They hadn't even been born yet when Annabeth ran away. And I don't think Annabeth would appreciate being separated from her family. Those boys are her brothers."

Clarisse was now uncomfortable. She glared at the ground, jaw tightening. "I didn't even know those two existed. I wasn't ready for that."

Aphrodite shrugged. "No, you weren't," She agreed dismissively, "You went in there like a wild animal ready to kill anything that harmed the woman you love. You were willing to crush and rip apart anything that hurt your Annabeth," Aphrodite smiled, eyes glistening as she continued, "I've seen your father do the same thing."

Clarisse snapped her head up, staring at the goddess, eyes wide again. Aphrodite's smile became even bigger. "You wanted things to be simple," She offered the befuddled demigod, "You had things set pure and simple in your mind. You had the targets that hurt Annabeth and you didn't want distractions. So you didn't know how to react when those boys showed up. After all, those two hadn't done anything."

Clarisse frowned, expression sour and dry. "Are you sure you're not Athena in disguise?" She asked in a lackluster voice.

Aphrodite giggled, "Oh, Zeus, no. I adore Athena, but really, she needs to have a bit more fun." Clarisse rolled her eyes.

Aphrodite said, amused, "Come with me. I'll take you back to camp Half-Blood. You don't have to go all the way back on the plane." Aphrodite reached out her hand in offering.

Clarisse, uncertain at first, met her hand with Aphrodite's and walked into the small vicinity of the golden haired goddess. The flirtatious deity circled Clarisse around her for a moment before pure white light started to eventuate from her divine form, starting to surround herself and the daughter of Ares.

The light started to become thicker to the point that it looked like ashen fog, encasing the demigod and the deity in its phantasmal grasp. Clarisse didn't mean to, but her fear started to show when she gripped Aphrodite's hands hard.

She heard a chuckle in front of her and she glared at the goddess. Aphrodite was wearing a smirk as she spoke, "Annabeth was right. You _are _surprisingly beautiful when you're angry."

Clarisse wanted to snap, but stopped herself and just shook her head at this ridiculous goddess, glaring.

Aphrodite chuckled, "Don't get annoyed. Annabeth didn't tell me anything, promise. I just picked up on her thoughts like all of us can pick on your thoughts."

Clarisse seethed. Great; the gods were invading their heads? Wonderful.

Three minutes passed and soon the white capsule of the light became a cage without any opening, cutting them both off completely from any sight of the outside world; that being the crimson carpets in the hallway and all the other simple wooden doors of the apartments and it all vanished when they were captured completely by the light, that was until finally, the light began to dissipate and the sight of the dark green flourishing forest around Camp Half-Blood filled Clarisse's vision instead of the bleak suburban life.

The depthless woods surrounding them now was more welcoming to Clarisse than any usual houses or skyscrapers; any signs of urban or suburban life. Rather, Clarisse found that there was comfort in knowing that she was about to enter the barrier around the camp. As far as she was concerned, if Annabeth lived here, then this camp _was _her home.

The dark, shadowy atmosphere of the woods encompassed Clarisse and Aphrodite's beings and Clarisse turned towards where she saw the eyes of the goddess directing. She looked upwards and saw the large, stone columns connecting to the arch with the Greek writings inscribed on it.

Clarisse was back at camp.

She pulled her hand from Aphrodite's grasp and was about to walk through the barrier when Aphrodite started talking, "Clarisse, I know why you made this elaborate trip. But no matter how many times you avenge Annabeth, it won't heal her."

Clarisse turned, glaring at the goddess, eyes now burning.

Aphrodite just sighed a sad tone as she spoke to the sixteen-year-old, "Don't blame yourself for Annabeth being injured. You can't protect her all the time. Hurting people that hurt her before won't heal her wounds. The best you can do for her right now is stand by her bedside and tell her you won't leave her. You can't take care of everything."

Clarisse clenched her fists again, teeth grounding. She bit the inside of her right cheek so hard that she tasted something metallic. "What the hell would you know?" She snapped, "You wouldn't know the first thing about being loyal to someone you love. Thanks for the ride back, but just leave."

Clarisse turned and walked through the barrier, not daring to look back, actually feeling tempted to raise her fist to the goddess as she moved. She needed to see Annabeth now.

**End Chapter one**


	2. Bedside comfort

**Note: My usual warning, any homophobic comments will be removed. **

**Chapter two:**

Clarisse was back at camp.

Clarisse swiveled as she entered the gate, and turned her head and glared again at the still watchful goddess, but said nothing as she stormed away. She only contemplated as she moved. She didn't know what to give as an answer. A part of her wanted Annabeth to know that she had completely beaten the shit out of those that had denounced the blonde, but she knew that her lover wouldn't approve of it at all.

Aphrodite apparently couldn't leave well enough alone. The coquettish goddess pressed further, stepping near the gate where Clarisse was about to pass through. "What _are _you going to tell her when she wakes up and you're there? Please forgive me, but you know I can't help but get involved in others' business. Goddess of love and all." She added her statement with a grin at the unamused demigod.

Clarisse stopped and shrugged. "I don't know." She grumbled, glancing at the prodigious bodies of water within the camp, where she knew Annabeth was being held and taken care of.

"You know," Aphrodite started, eyes concentrated and voice hinting at something important, "Ares and Athena…..during the times when they _aren't _trying to metaphorically kill each other and throwing childish insults at one another at least can both agree on one thing."

This odd statement caught Clarisse's regards. The dark haired demigod stared at the goddess, inquiring, though trying not to show that she was in any way eager to hear anything that the lover of her father had to say-because Hades knew it was an awkward situation enough as it was.

Aphrodite, still smiling, seeming to either be unaware of Clarisse's discomfort or not caring about it, "They're both happy that the two of you found one another. Of course your father would never say something like that, but I can tell. He growls and grumbles about it and acts all stoic and unemotional about it but I can tell. I think he's glad you're happy."

For the second time that day, Aphrodite had won in stupefying Clarisse. Clarisse just wasn't sure how to reply to such a remark.

It was true, Annabeth had once told Clarisse that she had to shoo Aphrodite away, who had lionized both the daughter of the god of war and Annabeth herself, when the golden-haired goddess had learned of their relationship. Aphrodite had even favored them; laughing in joy and saying that they were akin to Antony and Cleopatra. Clarisse knew that Annabeth hated when the "airheaded goddess," as they dubbed her, said things like that.

Aphrodite then nodded towards the camp. "Well," She exclaimed, "Go on, then. Your beloved is awaiting your return."

The daughter of war glared at Aphrodite for the goddess's statement.

Aphrodite however, was distinctly pleased by Clarisse's chagrin. Nonetheless, no further words were spoken from either women and Clarisse turned and walked through the barrier into the camp. She was about to walk further in to get into a running pace for Annabeth's current location, when she heard Aphrodite's voice again.

"Oh, and Clarisse?" Came the beginning of Aphrodite's statement, continuing when she saw that she had the violent demigod's attention, "I _am_ happy for you, whether you believe me or not. I'm happy for the both of you."

Clarisse stepped back from the gates leading into the camp, looking startled yet again. For Clarisse, hearing that all of the gods, especially Ares approved of her and Annabeth being together meant a lot to her. Far more than she thought she would. Oh, don't get her wrong; on a normal day, if someone had told her that Ares, her father praised her, even if it was just once, then Clarisse would be running around the camp all week, shouting triumphantly and feeling like she was already in Elysium, but hearing that Ares was happy for her, despite having sex basically daily with the daughter of Athena made warmth invade her entire being, nearly making her smile widely.

When she pivoted and exited the entrance of the camp, walking back through the areas of the cabins, she didn't bother to look back at the goddess, not wanting to hear anything else. It was embarrassing enough to have to hear what the goddess of love had said just now. All she wanted at the moment was to kneel by Annabeth's bedside, hold her and make sure everything was alright.

Clarisse closed in on the infirmary cabin, jumping up on the oak steps of the structure and pulled the door open with exaggerated force. All occupants within the infirmary shook, attention grabbed immediately and they swiveled their heads in Clarisse's direction.

Clarisse took no notice and came through, looking from cot to cot, checking for Annabeth. When she glanced ahead, she saw a glimpse of ash blonde hair towards the end of the row on the right. Confidence returning to the headstrong demigod as she spotted her lover, Clarisse raced over to the bunk. Looking down, she was utterly relieved when she saw that it was indeed Annabeth lying against the cot. The flax haired demigod was weak and injured but very awake.

Tired but now incredibly excited grey eyes focused on Clarisse. "Hey," Annabeth laughed, appearing to flinch at what the effect of laughing caused, due to her injury, "Where've you been, I was asking about you before."

Clarisse tried not to let her guilt become apparent, which was difficult, due to it being so genuine and intense. "Where were you?" Annabeth's question was repeated groggily and Clarisse had a hard time not answering and confessing to her brutality towards the other demigod's father and stepmother.

The brunette bit her lower lip, trying desperately to decide what to do. There were only two people in the entirety of the world and Olympus who could make her so uncertain; her father Ares, and Annabeth. She wanted to be honest with the blonde, but she was afraid of her lover's anger and worst of all…..the other demigod's disappointment.

After a few moments of contemplating, Clarisse finally submitted a response, sounding wounded, "I…..I felt bad that I couldn't do anything to help you get better when you were injured by the minotaur…..so I…..so I went after your father and your stepmother to beat the living shit out of them."

Annabeth's weary eyes blinked a couple of times before the blonde lifted herself up from the cot, wincing at the pain it caused. Seeing her lover flinch, Clarisse hissed, "Anna, careful! You'll hurt yourself!"

Annabeth, stubborn as usual, struggled upwards, her entire lower torso now up from the bunk, as she stared at her lover. Clarisse kneeled down a little so that navel was at the height of the bed, her hands clasping around Annabeth's waist, trying to move her back down to the sheets.

"Stop it, Clarisse," Annabeth growled, her exhausted eyes filled with angry energy now, "What the hell did you just say? Clarisse, are you serious? Did you really attack my parents?"

Clarisse's eyes stared up at Annabeth's. "They did nothing for you, Anna," She drawled, steadying the wise demigod with her hands, "Calm down. I didn't kill them or anything. Just gave them what they deserved. They left you alone and drove you away from your own home. Forget them. Fuck the two of them."

Annabeth glared and seemed to be about to say something else, when she flinched again, and this time didn't resist as Clarisse lowered her down to the cot.

Annabeth was giving the prominent impression that she didn't have much strength left. Clarisse wondered dryly just how well the blonde had been able to sleep last night while recovering from the wounds the monster had given her.

Annabeth gasped out when her head made contact with the pillow, "Why? I asked you not to."

Clarisse nodded and grunted, though gently as she placed a hand softly against Annabeth's distressed face, "Why not? Why do you care about the two of them?"

Annabeth shook her head, averting it from Clarisse's hand. "They're still family," Annabeth growled, "And I know you hate them for never doing anything for me or never being there for me, but you can't just barge into their home and attack them and pulverize them for it."

Clarisse shrugged, holding Annabeth tighter, "It looks like I already did." The warrior hesitated for a moment and then gave more words, "I'll admit; I am sorry about scaring your little brothers."

Annabeth tensed again and this time Clarisse gently placed her hands on the slimmer young woman's shoulders to stop her from coming off the bed again and risking harm to herself.

"Matthew and Bobby?" Annabeth gasped, "They saw you? Were…were they scared?"

Clarisse tried not to let another pang of guilt hit her at Annabeth's panicked voice.

The daughter of Ares said in what she hoped was a comforting tone, "They only came into the hall _after _I attacked your dad and stepmom. They didn't see anything. They asked about you though." Clarisse wasn't sure why she had said that, just that she knew that if Annabeth didn't have any contact with her little brothers, it would cause the blonde pain, and she refused to be the cause of it.

She felt Annabeth relax under hands. "Are they okay?" The grey eyed demigod asked tiredly.

Clarisse smiled, nodding, "Yeah, they both looked fine. I think they'd like to see you." She sighed, digressing, "I hate your father and his wife for not helping you when you were a kid, but your brothers had nothing to do with that and you deserve to get to know them. If you're angry because I possibly scared them, I won't blame you."

She then got up off the floor where she had been crouching and removed her hands from her lover's shoulders. "I'm sorry," she said getting a startled look from the blonde, "I'm not sorry about hurting your parents, but I'm sorry for upsetting you and making your worried about your little brothers. I'll go."

As Clarisse was about to turn around to exit the infirmary, resigning herself to being in the "doghouse" for a while for hurting Annabeth, an unnerved cry of "Wait!" almost made the daughter of Ares jump, shocked.

She looked back down at her other half, looking completely adrift in confusion. However, concern permeated throughout her mind when she noticed the fearful and alarmed appearance of her lover. "Please don't go," Annabeth said quietly, "I woke up hours ago and didn't find you anywhere nearby. I got…..I was….." Annabeth's voice trailed off looking at the wooden floor, indisputably nervous about admitting that she had been scared upon waking and not seeing Clarisse.

When Clarisse viewed how disquieted Annabeth was, her heart clenched and she was instantly down next to the other demigod's side again, hands resting on the edges of Annabeth's bed.

"Anna?" Clarisse whispered, hand lifting and placing itself against Annabeth's right cheek, prompting the brilliant girl to shift her head, causing the two young demigods to meet each other's eyes. Clarisse smiled in as much understanding as someone like her could. She was just as stubborn and as proud as Annabeth. She knew how hard it was for the blonde to be so vulnerable, especially emotionally.

Clarisse upturned Annabeth's face as gently as if she was handling the fragile tissue of flower petals and ran the pad of her right thumb over the blonde's sweet pink lips. She said in a caring tone, "I'm sorry, Anna. I wanted to be there for you; I always do. But I don't have a clue when it comes to medicine or healing. So hurting the people that hurt you was the only thing I felt like I could do for you."

Clarisse closed her eyes as she thought dejectedly of Annabeth waking up alone and not finding her by her bedside and flinched at the visual. She never wanted Annabeth to feel like that, ever. "I'm sorry, Anna," She repeated, "I should have been here."

"Clarisse." Annabeth said quietly, though her voice was urgent and her arm weakly slung around Clarisse's neck, pulling the brunette closer. As light as a feather, Clarisse interlocked her lips with her lover's, stroking her tongue against Annabeth's. Despite Annabeth's worn out condition, their smooth, wet tongues danced in a flurry.

When they finally parted, Clarisse affectionately nibbled on Annabeth's lower lip. This brought a moan from the other girl's throat, and as Clarisse opened her eyes, she saw grey eyes that were darkening in desire. "Whoa," Clarisse laughed, "Easy, easy, none of that right now. You're tired and badly hurt. I don't want to make your wounds worse. You need to sleep." She added, chuckling as she nodded to the other side of the infirmary, "And remember, we're not alone."

Annabeth glanced at the other patients and medics in the wooden structure, a bright pink hue tinting her cheeks as she realized that they were being looked at.

A groan of grievance was elicited from the blushing blonde demigod and Clarisse held her head back, smirking down.

She threw a dirty look at the other occupants of the infirmary and snapped, "What are you lot looking at? Is there something you find funny? Get back to work!"

The rest of the medics, patients and visitors now appeared terrified, not wanting to risk the wrath of Clarisse La Rue and went back to their usual routines. Clarisse turned back to Annabeth who was rolling her eyes, though still lightly blushing.

She got up off the floor again, but this time sat on the edge of the cot next to Annabeth's frail frame. Clarisse's dark brown hair fell into her eyes when she moved, but the daughter of Ares ignored the vexatious locks and pulled her left hand to stroke Annabeth's right arm.

"I won't leave you." Clarisse promised solemnly, "I won't." Her amusement disappeared and she became serious, smiling as she watched Annabeth's tension lessen and saw the blonde soothe herself. She appeared to be heading off to sleep. Clarisse decided at that moment to say something that was usually very rare of her, "I love you, Anna."

The daughter of Athena's eyelids fluttered a little, and the blonde smiled contently, mumbling a quiet, "I love you too." before slowly drifting off.

Clarisse felt heat swell in her chest. Had she been a normal human, she wouldn't have been able to hear the quiet murmur. She leaned down and kissed Annabeth's forehead gently and lay down next to the now sleeping young woman. She would be here when Annabeth woke up this time.

**Well, that was that. Sorry if they seemed out of character, and I know the words were a little repetitive, however, I hope you liked it. I always wished that Clarisse and Annabeth would have ended up as a couple, but alas, Rick Riordan loves heteronormativity.**

**Oh, and remember what I said at the beginning; any homophobic comments **_**will **_**be removed. Constructive criticism however, is a gift. **


End file.
